What are the uses of whole numbers line part-1

Whole Numbers – Uses of the Number Line - Part 1

• Addition on Number Line
• Subtraction on Number Line
• Summary
• Did You Know?
• What’s Next?

In our previous segment, we learnt about Whole numbers and how to represent them on the number line. In this segment, we will learn how to perform mathematical operations like addition and subtraction on the number line.

How to add numbers using a number line?

This is what a number line looks like. Let us now perform addition on this number line.

Example: 2 + 4

First, mark the number 2 on the number line. Since we are adding 4 to it, add 4 arrows from left to right.

That is from 2 → 3, then 3 → 4, then 4 → 5, and lastly 5 → 6.

We thus arrive at the answer, that is 2 + 4 = 6

Alternately, we can mark 4 on the number line and start marking two arrows from it to the right. This will also give us 6.

How to subtract numbers using a number line?

When subtracting numbers on a number line, we need to keep 2 rules in mind:

• Unlike addition, which goes from left to right, subtraction goes from right to left.
• Always start counting or subtracting from the higher number of the two.

Example: 7 - 5

First, we draw a number line containing whole numbers. Since 7 is the greater of the two numbers, we mark 7 first.

To subtract 5, we move one step at a time, 5 times, to the left as shown in the diagram below. We thus arrive at the answer, that is 7 - 5 = 2.

What’s next?

In our next segment of Class 6 Maths, we will learn how to use the number line to multiply whole numbers.

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